By Ed Piper
Until 6'6" quarterback Charlie Hutchison, a converted basketball player in his first year of football, was tackled on the La Jolla 23-yard line as the clock ran out, the Vikings didn't know for sure if their 14-7 lead over Mission Bay would hold up in the closing 56 seconds.
With 56.4 on the clock against their rivals, Coach Tyler Roach's squad scored on a sprawling Nick Sebro catch from Jackson Diehl that covered 25 yards plus the distance halfway into the end zone. That put the Vikes up 14-7, after Evan Martin's kick.
La Jolla, on the Buccaneers' home turf, had tied the score way back in the second quarter on Diehl's 57-yard pass/run play to Aidan "Carolina" McGill.
So, as Hutchison, the big QB for Mission Bay, came lumbering down the field from the La Jolla 47 toward the red zone, you had to hold your breath. The hosts had started on their own 20-yard line, and it was getting creepy.
Also, Coach Greg Tate's team had come in 4-0 in the still-young season, demolishing opponents such as Christian (31-19), San Diego High (38-0), and the previous week Sweetwater (35-14).
On the other hand, the Vikings had been struggling after Diehl got hurt in game three, losing two, after a wonderful start of wins over Bishop's and Scripps Ranch.
A major turning point came at the end of the third quarter, Mission Bay driving downfield on 12 plays from the Bucs' own 9-yard line, seemingly headed toward their second touchdown. Viking freshman Andre Mclees Walker intercepted a Hutchison pass on second-and-10, only three yards from the goal line.
That momentarily stopped the Buccaneers. Roach's revived offense under Diehl scored two possessions later.
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